As a child she was brought up in a joint family. She was a happy go lucky child. Many things made it possible. She had an understanding parents, servants to do the household chores, many cousins and toys to play with. All she knew was happiness. Her mother was educated but sacrificed her career to take care of her children and the family. One day she rinsed my friend's school uniform and in the morning when my friend found out that she was running out of uniform, the scolding her mum got from her, I guess, she was too young to realise other’s feelings at that time.

Later she was put up in a hostel during her University. She had many friends and she enjoyed a carefree life which was full of fun. No burdens, no worries and financially she was comfortable. But her mother was always as concerned as what she does.  When she came back home for holidays, I still remember her mother insisting her to  learn to cook, to be responsible and to control her temper. My friend would get annoyed and with her father's support, she was ultimately the winner in the tiff between she and her mother.

Her mother withdraws from the argument telling that she would realize only when she gets married and go and live in another family; At that time it all looked like a joke to her and I think she was like any other normal Indian girl from an orthodox family.

Later, when she got married, it was a different experience and she was encountering a different world. It was due to the kind of family set up, she was in. The joint family system had its own disadvantage.  Though she was educated, and capable, things did not work out for her, for various reasons.  She had a very little freedom and she had to balance between all family members’ advice and wish.

The main reason was the least recognition for a daughter-in-law that made things very difficult to her. Now she realised the truth behind her mother's advice to be more responsible and patient.

Until and unless the people change their mindset and start to treat the daughters-in-law with more dignity, girl’s life would ever be gloomy.  Daughters-in-law must be treated as par as the daughters in the family.

But sadly, not even many women are considered as one among the family members. Lot of them are wrongly believed to have influenced their husbands negatively.  At the end, she becomes responsible, if anything goes wrong.  Indian women face many hindrances to support their husbands.

Some years back people had patience. Her mother could bury her wish and could sacrifice her life, for the so called good of the family.  But these days there are more opportunities for the young women.  The wider the world is, the broader the knowledge is. Scientific inventions have changed the world but not the hearts. When are the doors going to be opened for the Orthodox Indian Women? This question has no answer, as yet.